Robots negatively impacting mental health of workers, says study

The increased use of robots is negatively impacting the mental health of workers, according to research from the Vienna University of Economics and Business.

A new study by the University says that the impact on mental health is largely driven by concerns about job security and a lower sense of achievement on the job.

The research combined individual health data from the German Socioeconomic Panel with data on the stock of robots in 14 manufacturing sectors sectors provided by the International Federation of Robotics for the period 2002–2018.

The University used mediation analysis and an instrumental variable approach, as well as an heterogeneity analysis which it says reveals that higher robot intensity has particularly severe negative effects on the mental health of workers close to retirement, in low-skilled occupations, and those performing routine jobs.

It found that women and men are affected similarly, as are workers of all educational levels.

“Our results suggest that the more automation – in terms of industrial robots in production – in a sector, the worse the mental health of employees,” said Dr Ana Lucia Abeliansky, assistant professor at the University.

The research comes as the world witnesses dramatic growth in robot adoption, from 400,000 industrial robots worldwide in 1990 to more than three million in 2020, according to International Federation of Robotics data.

The University said that the side effects of new technologies such as automation on mental health should “not be ignored by policymakers”.

“It is important to ensure the functioning of social security systems that protect those who suffer from automation, particularly by providing health insurance and unemployment insurance coverage,” it added.